Carly McBride was last seen in Calgaroo Avenue in Muswellbrook on September 30, 2014 after visiting her three-year-old daughter who had been living with the child’s father.

Update, 4.30pm:

THE former boyfriend of murdered Lake Macquarie woman Carly McBride did not apply for bail in a brief appearance in court on Monday afternoon.

Sayle Kenneth Newson was brought into Wyong Local Court wearing a grey jacket and shirt, blowing a kiss to his family in the public gallery as he was led in.

He stood in the corner of the dock and stared at his family until the magistrate told him to sit down.

Appearing sullen and unshaved, Sayle stared at his family and hung his head.

The court heart that he had employed a Byron Bay law firm to represent him.

He did not apply for bail.

Magistrate Peter Feather adjourned the matter to Newcastle Local Court on August 9.

As he was being lead out of the court by corrective services, Sayle said to his family: "Love ya ma. Love you babe. "Love you. "Stay strong mum".

​Earlier:

DETECTIVES have arrested the former boyfriend of alleged murder victim Carly McBride – a breakthrough in the two-and-a-half-year investigation into the Lake Macquarie mother’s death.

And police will visit Lithgow Correctional Centre later this week to make an arrest of a second man.

In a press conference on Monday afternoon, police revealed they had arrested a 39-year-old Buff Point man who had been in a short relationship with Ms McBride in the lead-up to her disappearance on September 30, 2014.

The Newcastle Herald has previously reported that Sayle Kenneth Newson had been in a short relationship with Ms McBride before her death.

Police revealed that a post-mortem had concluded that Ms McBride died of a blunt force trauma, and a “significant“ part of the prosecution’s case was that the man in custody told them he was a Muai Thai champion with “20 wins and no losses”.

“Further to that, there will be another arrest later this week, where investigators will go to the Lithgow area, where a man will be charged with her murder.”

Police will allege the pair were parties to a joint criminal enterprise to murder Ms McBride.

Asked about the actions of the accused in the aftermath of Ms McBride’s disappearance, including appeals for help on Facebook and a reward offered for information, Superintendent Clarke replied: “Certainly, there will be information, including information in relation to Facebook posts, that investigators will present as part of their evidence … because of the fact he was proactive in the early part of this investigation.”

The Herald reported in 2014 that Newson was “fearing the worst” in the wake of Ms McBride’s disappearance.

“I believe she is dead, but I need the truth,” he told the newspaper at the time.

Ms McBride’s remains were found in August last year in roadside scrub at Owens Gap on the outskirts of Scone – about 50km from where she was last seen in Muswellbrook.

The Belmont woman had been visiting one of her children at the Calgaroo Avenue house of ex-partner Andrew Easton.

She was reported missing soon after by Newson.

On Monday morning, detectives arrested Newson at San Remo on the Central Coast in connection with the murder.